My first day at sea, an absolutely beautiful sunny day and I didn’t have to fight for a thickly-padded lounge chair by the pool. The pool is one of the nicest afloat…definitely several laps swimmable, no crowds, empty Jacuzzis. The luncheon is served indoors and outdoors at poolside, with teak tables in the shade or poolside with umbrellas. And what a poolside luncheon! Instead of the usual hamburgers, hot dogs, fries (which there are if one so desires) a chef is cooking four types of fish on the grill: salmon, tuna, mahi and grouper. All with their own seasoning and cooked to perfection. An entire grouper lay char-cooked and displayed nearby and a server would pry a small portion off the fish per your request. It was probably one of the most elegant poolside luncheons I have seen. Of course wine, champagne and any other libation are complimentary.
There were many activities going on: wine edu-taste-ment, bridge, pilates for beginners, needlepoint, even surprisingly enough poolside bean-bag toss competition. Despite a median age of maybe sixty-five these are very active older travelers. My neighbors both sides of my cabin are eighty-six and eighty-nine. I should only be so lucky in thirty years!
Tonight is formal night and I’m headed to Signatures, an elegant dining venue operated exclusively under the auspices of chefs of the famed Le Cordon Bleu of Paris. The menu, presented in the classic ala carte tradition (the Entrée is actually the starter) is fixed and no alterations are allowed. It doesn’t matter. The cuisine is wonderful. Our selection included escargot, not the heavy greasy garlicky ones, but only two snails on the plate in a wonderfully light garlic sauce along with a flaky pastry shell. I ordered the most delicious sautéed halibut I have ever eaten. I also sampled the duck, small filet slices rather than the usual skin-on, never crisped enough variety.
The entertainment at the appointed nightly time of 9:45PM was again the Regent singers and dancers doing their version of more Broadway through the Decades, as I’ve come to call it. Again an excellent performance, especially “One Day More” the finale from Les Mis. The Stars Lounge, a.k.a. the Disco, was the venue for late night karaoke. But alas only one female country western singer wannabe had the moxie to get up and perform in front of sixteen other passengers. Once she was finished, that was it for karaoke. The room was once again a disco. This is not the karaoke crowd.
Called it a night by midnight again. The ship is basically deserted after 10pm. The lounges close up, the music venue cease and desist and the carpet is rolled up. Not even the crew showed up to socialize in the disco.
More tomorrow. Thanks for reading.
Comments